To cushion the negative impact of the baht's continued appreciation, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) should work together with the private sector to attract more tourist to come to Thailand, said the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.
"With the baht skyrocketing since the start of the year, we have to spend more on marketing and incentives to attract more visitors," said Mr Phiphat at the Bangkok Post Forum yesterday.
Mr Phiphat said that he had already discussed the matter with Finance Minister, Uttama Savanayana, who will push the Bank of Thailand to find a solution to deal with the baht's appreciation, which has dented tourism revenues.
He stressed that the continued cooperation between the government and the private sector is the key to ensure that Thailand's tourism sector grows in a steady and sustainable manner.
Mr Phiphat also called on local business operators to not take advantage of unsuspecting tourists.
"Scams will only cause the situation to worsen," he said, before adding that despite the baht's continued appreciation, the tourism sector is faring quite well.
Citing his latest visit to Phuket over the weekend, he said tourists were not affected by the recent bombings in Bangkok.
"The key to continued growth is having a standardised price, which helps to eliminate the guesswork among tourists," he said. "That way, tourists won't be put off by Thailand."
That said, Mr Phiphat admitted that the outlook for Chinese tourist arrivals may not be as bright as previously thought.
"While the number of tour groups from China have declined, the number of big-spending free, individual travellers or FITs is on the rise, which has helped offset the losses," he said, before adding that the government will try to tap into other major markets, including India.
Under his helm, Mr Phiphat said, tourism and sports will complement one another. "MotoGP Buriram is an example that really shows how tourism and sports can create new economic opportunities for Thailand," he said.
Mr Phiphat also pledged to make use of information technology to improve hospitality services in Thailand.
"Official support must first go to Thai-owned businesses, such as local online travel agencies (OTAs), to ensure that revenue from tourism will truly benefit the local economy," he said.